New Orleans Oldest Cajun Restaurant
South Louisiana
French Country Cuisine
(Traditional Cajun)
Proprietors
Wayne and Debbie Pierce
Bon Ton
SALADS
Shrimp Remoulade
(Our Own Sauce)
Shrimp Cocktail
Crabmeat Salad
Salad Bon Ton
Asparagus
Creole Tomatoes
(In Season)
Debbie's Salad
/ A La Carte
Oysters "Alvin"
Bayou Etouffee
Eggplant, Shrimp & Crapmeat Etouffee
Fried Louisiana Shimp
Pan Broiled Shrimp
Shrimp Etouffee
Fried Tenderloin Trout
Pan Broiled Oysters
Fried Oysters
Crabmeat Imperial
Sirloin Stip Steak
Center Cut Filet
Veal Rib Chop
Crabmeat Au Gratin
Red Fish Bon Ton
Fried Soft Shell Crab
Soft Crab Shell "Alvin"
Fried Fresh Water Catfish
Sirloin Strip Steak Cubed
Bon Ton Shrimp Creole
Fried Louisiana Shrimp & Oysters
Crawfish Newburg
Crawfish Etouffee
Crawfish Bisque
Crawfish Omelette
Crawfish Jambalaya
Crawfish Dinner
Fried Crawfish Tails
Bon Ton
sOUPS
Shrimp and Crab Okra Gumbo
(Cup or Bowl)
Turtle Soup
(Cup or Bowl)
Oyster Milk Stew
(Small or Large)
Crawfish Bisque
(S mall or Large)
DESSERTS
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
Bread Pudding Parfait
Pecan Crunch Ice Cream
Pineapple Sherbert
The Bon. Ton Cafe
In
Downtown New Orleans
New Orleans Oldest Cajun Restaurant
The flickerig gas lights and canvas canopy that
announce the entrance to the Bon Ton Cafe are the
first hints to an experience in dining that has almost
vanished in our fast-paced lives.
Housed in the historical 1840's Natchez building,
within earshot of boat whistles on the Mississippi,
its checkered red and white tablecloths,
wrought-iron chandeliers and soft-brick walls
create an atmosphere to enjoy Cajun food prepared
stylishly from original family recipes. Combined
with the down-home friendliness of the staff,
dining at the Bon Ton often becomes an event
long-remembered.
But, the Bon Ton isn't a recent occurrence ...
Originally opened in the early 1900's, it has long
been a favorite of local dining connoisseurs. After a
brief recess, Al and Alzina Pierce came to New
Orleans in the early 1950's from their home along
the bayous of South Louisiana and reopened the
Bon Ton. With them came recipes that their families
had created while living deep in the Cajun country
of LaFourche and Terrebonne Parishes.
Armed with these recipes, they opened one of
the first restaurants in New Orleans to challenge the
city's renowned Creole cooking with authentic
Cajun cuisine that depends heavily on foods from
Louisiana's bayous and the Gulf of Mexico. Once
found only in the kitchens along those bayous,
dishes such as crawfish etouffee, crawfish bisque,
shrimp and oyster jambalaya, now appeared on a
restaurant table. Other Bon Ton specialties made
with lump crab meat, oysters, crawfish and soft
shell crabs began to pamper New Orleans dinersone
of the world's most critical group of gourmets.
continued »>
Adding to the nostalgia of Cajun lore are two
specialties of the house prepared as only the
Bon Ton knows how - its famed Rum Ramsey
cocktail
t
adapted from a recipe handed down from
the early 1900's and known only to the owners, and
its Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce that is so
delicious it verges on being wicked.
Today, the traditions started by Al and Alzina
Pierce continue under their nephew, Wayne Pierce,
who trained under them, and his wife Debbie.
Since 1967, Wayne and Debbie have guarded those
traditions so well they have gained recognition of
the Bon Ton by many international culinary societies
and have been covered extensively in gourmet,
travel and leisure publications and in newspaper
columns.
Restaurant critics are amazed that the Bon Ton
maintains its great popularity though it is
open only Monday through Friday for lunch
from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and for dinner, with
reservations strongly recommended from 5 p.m.
until 9:30 p.m. Exceptions are made on weekends
for private parties scheduled in advance.
The Bon Tan Is ambience and cuisine flow from
the uncrushable joie de vivre of the Cajun people.
When they were thrown into bitter exile from
their home in Maritime, Canada, they found
themselves cast away in a desolate wilderness along
the bayous of what is now Louisiana. Instead of
languishing, they snapped back to cheerful life and
used their native courage and initiative to turn the
humble foods the wilderness offered into one of the
world's most delightful cuisines.
BERN KEATING
I
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Bon Ton Cafe
401 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 524-3386
